Belles Battle Past Spartans for Sweep

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team used a come-from-behind effort in game one to win 8-5 and kept the offense going in game two for a 9-1 (5 inning) decision to sweep a doubleheader against Manchester University on Sunday afternoon.

Emily Sherwood hit her second home run of the season to start the Belles' scoring in game one.Trailing 4-0 in the fourth inning of game one, Emily Sherwood got the Belles on the scoreboard with a first-pitch lead off home run to left field. Saint Mary's followed that up with a seven-run offensive outpouring in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-4 lead. In the fifth, the Belles sent 10 batters up to the plate and scored their seven runs on five hits, an error, and a walk. Kayla Chapman had a two-out two-RBI triple down the right field line to cap off the scoring in the inning.

The Spartans threatened to get back into the game, but a pair of defensive plays helped the Belles shut down the Manchester offense. In the sixth inning, Manchester had runners on first and second with no one out. After Callie Selner picked up a strikeout, the Saint Mary's defense came up with a heads up double play off of a pop up to end the threat.

In the seventh inning with runners on the corners, Selner stopped a runner between third and home and Chapman got the runner out on the throw from Selner. Chapman then made a throw to Sherwood to get an advancing Spartan put Saint Mary's an out away from the win. Two batters later, the come-from-behind win was completed with a ground out to end the game.

Emily Sherwood went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs batted in, and two runs scored in the game one win. Callie Selner added a 2-for-3 effort at the dish with a run scored while driving in a run.

Selner picked up the win in the circle after a complete game effort with three earned runs and a pair of strikeouts.

Game two saw the Belles post two runs in the second, four in the third, and three in the fifth to claim the 9-1 win.

After reaching on a walk, Jillian Busfield scored on a bases loaded walk by Victoria Connelly. Kayla Chapman then scored on a passed ball in the second to give Saint Mary's the early lead.

Kayla Chapman had a three-run home run in the game two win for the Belles.With the bases loaded in the bottom of the third and no one out, the Belles knew they would have a big inning. Morgan Bedan scored on a wild pitch to give Saint Mary's their third run of the game. Kayla Chapman then doubled that lead with a swing as she belted a three-run home run well over the left-center fence.

Manchester pushed across a run in the top of the fifth on a single, walk, and a double. The Belles responded in the bottom half of the inning with three runs to end the game. With two outs, Sarah Callis reached on an error, and Ashley Watkins, Angela Dainelli, and Victoria Connelly drew consecutive walks to score Callis and keep the bases loaded. Emily Sherwood then put the game away with a single down the left field line that scored both Watkins and Dainelli.

Kayla Chapman went 2-for-3 in game two with a three-run home run, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Emily Sherwood added the game-ending hit in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run single down the left field line.

Sarah Burke was the game-two winner in the circle after allowing just one earned run on five hits with two strikeouts.

The Belles (12-10) return to action on Tuesday, April 16 when they travel to Calvin for a conference doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m.